Last year, as the unofficial blogger/photographer to the anti-East-West Link campaign, our battles were my blog's entire focus. But by Christmas, with the electoral win for people power and the dumping of the dud Tunnel, I was suddenly at a loss.
What to write about now? Not sure yet. But there will be ongoing musings and images from this Australian life. So please leave a message. (No need to sign into an account. Simply comment as ‘anonymous’; then leave your name within the comment itself.)

Friday, June 29, 2018

#RedLine in the sand, #NoNewCoal protest Flinders St Melbourne

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This cold grey morning early - but not as early as the brave souls who started at 6am - I jumped on a tram. Destination: Melbourne's #NoNewCoal Redline protest in Flinders Street. This action is part of a wave of protests occurring this weekend all over Australia - from Adelaide to Cairns, from Canberra to Mackay. They are aimed at challenging our Government's love affair with that redundant abhorrent energy source, coal.
By the time I arrived the protest was well underway. Volunteer teams were carrying the main banner from one corner to the next at Melbourne's most historic intersection. Although walkers were rostered to carry the banners for a full two hour shift, so far they were showing no signs of flagging:

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What the protestors have in common is the determination to show fellow Australians - and the world in general - that no matter how far we might live geographically from the Reef and the Galilee Basin, those places are nevertheless
close to our hearts. And in fact there was one participant who could easily call Galilee Basin home.Denyosaurfrydosaurusclimato rex visited Melbourne today on a mission. He was there to remind us that that sediment from the Galilee Basin lusted after by Mr Adani, was deposited there 323-238 million years ago. Right back when he was a lad and when some of his mates came to their final resting place in the nearby Enomanga Basin's world-famous dinosaur fossil site. Denyosaurfrydosaurusclimato rex didn't need to say much. His presence was sufficient, a reminder that we need to leave this ancient fossil fuel, coal, where it belongs. In the ground:

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Other protestors talked more than our dinosaur friend, often to curious passersby.
One protestor came wearing Nemo on her head. I wondered if this was to remind us that Nemo, who started life 15 years ago on the Great Barrier Reef, would be in for a shock were he to return. He might not even recognize his birthplace as it has become so bleached and diminished over the intervening years.
No doubt that was why 'Nemo' was keen to talk to passers-by about the need to fight for the Reef:

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One protestor arrived with chalk in hand. Chalk drawing is always fun to do. And fun to watch.

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Plus it's a great way to get the message out there - to educate people who might not otherwise appreciate just how bad fossil fuel is for the environment:

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Melbourne's Red Line protestors intend to stay on, moving from one famous corner to the next - from the heritage Flinders Street Station, past Federation Square, over to St Paul's cathedral and then on to another cathedral - the Young and Jackson Hotel. Then around again, for the next 18 hours.
I realised on my tram journey home what a perfect protest route this is. Honouring these historic public buildings is just what we all need to do with natural icons like the Galilee Basin and the Great Barrier Reef.

Protestors will be lapping through the night right up until 12 noon tomorrow (Saturday). I imagine by then they will be very tired and cold. So if you are in Melbourne, and want to express your solidarity, you know what to do!